Stop talking about yourself! Learn about prospects by asking questions. You may be an expert in martial arts, but you’re not an expert in what a prospect wants. Too often this is the pitch, “Here we do xxx under yyy’s lineage” and then an implied question is left hanging that I guess is, “(please) would[…]
Practice to make the most of your training situation Our preferred practice methods may not always be available to us as conditions change: partners become unavailable, facilities downsize, our own schedule alters—any number of reasons may signal changing the focus of our practice may be more useful to our growth. Here’s today’s video on practicing[…]
The Social Martial Artist — I’ve become what I used to make fun of — and couldn’t be happier So back when we were training harder, we all remember the people who would hang out and talk more than get their reps in. Like getting weaker, fatter, or less tough (not that I was EVER[…]
It’s not the art, it’s who’s better that day I was going to write a totally different post, but saw something on Facebook/YouTube that got me diverted. Imagine that? Adam Chan, the creator of this video, states himself that it’s just one idea, one possibility, and that it’s not bullet proof. Enough said.[…]
A rational look at authenticity People often search for and advertise, “authentic (martial art here).” There are many forms of authenticity, most of which don’t have tremendous value to your life. Let’s look at some: With technique of a past era. So either tactics, tools, requirements, or rules have changed. Maybe the art has become[…]
While it may help in a bar fight, knowing BJJ, MMA, even kali/krav maga doesn’t make you a combat or self defense expert So Tim Ferris is stretching his boundaries, putting out some footage about ‘fighting’ and self defense, and I’m going to have to go ahead and call bullshit. I’m not going to go[…]
If I weren’t hanging out with people I liked, UFC 200 would have been a miserable time. UFC 200…lots of surprisingly positive write ups. I’m going to dissent. A card that looked good on poster but severely under delivered, with a splash of sideshow for good measure. First thing, great headlining fight. Glad to see:[…]
There is no style without sparring When people hear you do martial arts, the follow up question is usually, “what style?” Generally people mean what style you practice, and you could answer “clover poisoning sheep style,” and they wouldn’t care. But something we should be aware of is whatever style you practice is only somewhat[…]
Dan Inosanto is the greatest martial artist of all time period. With the Dan Inosanto seminar coming into town, I thought I’d scribble this down. First, some definitions: martial arts is a body of knowledge and practice. In the modern sense we exclude from it practical aspects of war and combat. Looking at karate, which[…]
The BJJ black belt solution works — just like BJJ does Those familiar with traditional martial arts know that achieving a black belt means you just got out of beginner, or maybe intermediate if it’s a particularly rigorous or large system. And anyone who’s been involved with martial arts for a while also know of[…]